Multiple tank assembly for open fermenters



July 20, 1954 sc 2,684,174

MULTIPLE TANK ASSEMBLY FOR OPEN FERMENTERS Filed March 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Ewalcl fichmzfz ATTORNEYS.

I I I INVENTOR. Ewald jchmz'iz QMM a AQQ' 6 E. SCH MITZ MULTIPLE TANK ASSEMBLY FOR OPEN FERMENTEZRS Filed March 5, 1951 July 20, 1954 ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 20, 1 954 TENT OFFICE MULTIPLE TANK ASSEMBLY FOR OPEN FERMENTERS Ewald Schmitz, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to A. 0.

Smith Corporation, Milwaukee,. Wis., a corporation of New York Application March 5, 1951, Serial No. 213,958

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to storage tanks of generally thin wall, and more particularly to a multi-- ple storage tank assembly.

An object of this invention is to provide greater transverse support for thin wall storage tanks by grouping or assembling the tanks in series so that the tanks will be able to withstand the stresses exerted by the contained liquid when the tanks are in service.

Another object of this invention is to provide a less costly method of structural reinforcement for a thin-walled alloy storage tank.

Still another object is to provide an assembly of tanks which will reduce the amount of floor space that the tanks will occupy when in service.

Another object is to provide a convenient method of assembling a plurality of storage tanks by which the assembly is partially accomplished in the shop and completed in the field with a minimum of labor.

Under the invention a plurality of open-top storage tanks are assembled in series and joined along their longitudinal sides. Each of the several tanks is thin-walled, generally rectangular in shape and preferably constructed of corrosionresistant material. The thin walls of each tank are reinforced by spaced ribs which extend vertically of the heads and side walls as well as transversely of the bottom of each tank.

In assemblingthe tanks as a multiple unit the several tanks are assembled side by side with their respective transverse bottom ribs aligned.

Adjacent side walls of the assembled tanks have alternate vertical ribs which are so disposed that the ribs of one tank abut against the side wall of the adjoining tank. The vertical side wall ribs extend upward between the adjacent tank walls to a position slightly below the toplongi- 'tudinal edge of the respective side walls and a reinforcing member extends longitudinally between the side walls and is secured to the top edges of the vertical ribs. The upper end portion ofthe side walls of the adjoining tanks are bent outwardly over the reinforcing member and are secured together by means of a longitudinal butt weld. The reinforcing member is joined edgewise to a reinforcing beam which extends around the entire top perimeter of the tank assembly. The corresponding transverse ribs of adjoining tanks are joined together at the base of said tanks to complete the assembly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth more fully in the following description of an embodiment of the invention illusstrated in the accompanying drawings,

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a series of tanks assembled in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a pair of tanks with parts broken away and sectioned;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the joint between two tanks;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 parts being broken away; and

Fig;' 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 parts being broken away.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a multiple tank assembly comprising a plurality of storage tanks assembled side by side with each tank being open at the top and formed of side walls I, a bottom wall 2, and end heads 3. The tanks correspond to the tank set forth in applicants co-pending application Serial No. 237,919 filed July 21, 1951, to which reference may be had for a more detailed description of the tank structure.

Each tank is preferably of a corrosion resistant alloy such as stainless steel and is mounted on lateral spaced support 4 to space the same from the surface over which the tank extends.

The bottom 2 of each tank is braced by a plurality of trapezoidal shaped laterally spaced ribs 5 which extend transversely of the tank bottom and the flanges of which are spot welded to bottom wall 2.

The heads 3 of each tank are braced by laterally-spaced vertical ribs 5 which are similar to ribs 5 and extend from the upper edge of each head downwardly and around the front and rear corners respectively of each tank and thence beneath the tank along bottom wall 2 and into engagement with the rearmost and frontmost transverse ribs 5 on bottom 2. A pair of ribs 6 on front head 3 are interrupted by a central manhole opening l near the lower part of the tank which is bordered on the top and bottom by short horizontal ribs 8 welded to the various ribs 6 extending adjacent the manhole to provide a unitary structure.

The flanges of ribs 5 and 8 are spot welded to heads 3 and the lower inner ends of ribs 6 are welded to the ribs 5 with which they engage.

The bracing of the side walls i of each tank is accomplished by trapezoidal shaped laterally spaced vertical ribs c whose flanges are spot welded to side walls i.

At each end of an assembly of a group of tanks ribs s all extend vertically of each end wall I fromadjacent upperedge of-the wall of the'tank downwardly and thence around the lower longitudinal corner of the end tank and into end engagement with the transverse ribs 5 on bottom 2 of which ribs 9 in efiect constitute extensions- The vertical ribs 9 which lie between a pair of tanks in a multiple tank assembly are disposed on side walls l in a manner to conserve metal and yet efiectively brace the abutting walls of the tanks and add rigidity to the entire assembly.

As illustrated in Fig. 2 every other vertical rib 9 on the side wall I of a respective tank where the wall is disposed between a pair of tanks is eliminated. Under this construction the back of every other rib 9 rests against the wall l of the opposite tank and braces the same against internal stresses in the manner as if a rib 9 were spot welded to such wall.

Ribs 9 where disposed between tanks extend vertical of the side wall I of each tank from a line slightly removed from the upper edge of the tank to which it is secured downwardly and around the lower longitudinal corner of the tank into engagement with bottom rib 5 to which it is suitably welded. The transverse ribs 5 of a group of tanks are in axial alignment and those ribs 5 to which ribs 9 are not welded extend on the bottom short of the inner wall I of the tank.

A box-shaped reinforcing member or stiffener Hi extends longitudinally between the adjacent tanks at the upper end portions of the tanks and is welded to the upper edges of the vertical ribs 8. The box stiffener it is of a width corresponding to the depth of ribs 9 to fit conveniently between the side walls l, and of such height that the stiifener extends a sufficient distance below the upper longitudinal edge portions ll of the side walls I of adjacent tanks to permit the edge portion l l of each side wall to be bent outwardly around the top of box stiffener i and form a longitudinal seam joined together by means of a butt seam weld.

A plurality of reinforcing beams l2 extend around the entire top perimeter of the tank assembly to give added support to said assembly to withstand th internal pressures exerted by the contained liquid.

The beam i2 is of a generally inverted U-shape and is composed of an inner layer of carbon steel which is covered by a corrosion resistant material !3. The open bottom of the inverted U-shaped beam 12 is bridged by a fiat carbon steel plate said plate being secured to the arms of the beam by an alloy weld iii to complete the beam.

The outer side walls i of a group of tanks project upwardly a slight distance beyond the attached vertical ribs and end heads 3 similarly project beyond the upper ends of bracing ribs 6. The beam l2 thus rests on the upper ends of ribs 3 and e and also on the top edge of the generally triangular plate-like extensions ll of the box stiffener-s is to lie substantially flush with the side and head walls of the tanks. The beam !2 is suitably welded to ribs t and 9 as well as to extensions Il. Beam it also abuts the open ends of said stiffener it at the front and rear of the tanks and is welded thereto along weld line i8. Further details on the beam construction may be had by reference to the co-pending application Serial No. 237,919, previously referred to.

A portion of the outer alloy covering 13 of the beam ends short of stiffener :a and instead a generally T-shaped alloy plate i9 is disposed over the beam 52 in conformity to the curvature of the beam and the lateral edges of the plate It are welded to the abutting edges of alloy covering 13. The stem of T-plate l9 extends inwardly over box stiffener It! to the abutting upper portions ll of the side walls which overlap stiffener It and is butt welded to the outer edge of portions H.

An alloy insert plate 26 shaped in conformity to the curvature of the tank corner is welded in place at each corner recess between the T-plate l9, tank walls I and 3 and wall portions H. A plate 20 is also welded in place at each outer corner of the tank assembly to complete the top corner construction.

A flat plate 2i of carbon steel and an outer coating of thin alloy closes on the open end of each box stiffener H] and is welded to beam I2 and to the edges of the triangular extension ll.

T-shaped trough sections 22 are disposed between tanks and fit between those ribs :3 of one tank which stop short of the lower corner of each tank, and the corresponding joined ribs 5 and 9 of the adjacent tank. The ribs 5 and 9 are connected by a U-shaped member 23 which in effect constitutes a continuation of the rib 9. Each section 22 overlaps aligned ribs 5 and is welded thereto and to the lower end of a rib 9 as well as to the corner walls of the respective tanks that each section overlies.

One method of assembling the described multiple arrangement of tanks is to first secure the longitudinal reinforcing member or box stiffener iii to the top edges of vertical ribs 9 of one of the tanks to be joined. This operation may be performed in the manufacturing plant.

It is necessary to Weld the box stiffener to the transverse ribs of one tank before assembly, for once the tanks are assembled it is not possible to gain access to that welded area.

Once in the field the tanks are aligned in the proper side by side position, the longitudinal upper edge portions H of the adjacent side walls I are bent over the box stiffener I0 and butt welded together.

The reinforcing beam I2 is then disposed and secured in the proper position a described with the alloy covering 13 thereof being butt welded to the outer tank walls I and 3.

The construction of adjoining upper corners is completed by the attachment of the T-plates l9 and the corner plates 26.

To complete the assembly the connecting sections 22 are welded into proper position to secure the lower edge portions of adjoining tanks together.

This invention is particularly adaptable to large open-top, generally rectangular, tanks of the type often employed in breweries for settling or fermentation operations. By construction of a tank assembly in the manner set forth the internal stresses exerted by the contained liquid are resisted. At the same time a saving in space, labor and materials is achieved by the elimination of some of the vertical ribs on each tank side wall and depending on ribs from an adjacent tank to brace not only the wall of the tank to which it is welded but also the wall of the tank against which the back of the rib abuts.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A multiple storage tank assembly, comprising a plurality of generally thin-walled metal storage tanks assembled side by side and having side walls extending parallel to each other and disposed in adjacent relation, a plurality of spaced ribs extending vertically of substantially the entire adjacent walls of said tanks and being alternately secured to the wall of one of said tanks and engaging the wall of the other tank to reinforce the said side walls of each tank, and means spanning the upper and lower ends of the ribs and integrally securing the adjacent walls of the tanks together whereby a rigid tank assembly is provided.

2. A multiple storage tank assembly comprising a plurality of generally thin-walled open top metal storage tanks assembled side by side, a plurality of spaced ribs extending vertically between adjacent side walls of said tanks to a line slightly removed from the upper edge of said tanks, said ribs being secured to the side wall of at least one of said tanks and engaging the side wall of the other tank to reinforce the side walls of each tank, a hollow beam member extending longitudinally between tanks and resting on the upper ends of the ribs of the adjacent tanks with the upper end portion of said adjacent tank side Walls being bent over said beam in abutting relation, and a weld joining the end portions of the walls together along the longitudinal seam overlying said beam.

3. A multiple storage tank assembly comprising a plurality of open-top storage tanks, said tanks being generally rectangular in shape and constructed of corrosion resistant metal, a plurality of spaced reinforcing ribs extending transversely of the bottom of each tank and vertically of the head and side walls of each tank, said tanks being assembled side by side with the transverse ribs of one tank being axially aligned with the transverse ribs of the adjacent tank and the adjacent side walls of the tanks possessing only a sufficient number of said vertical ribs so located that the vertical ribs on the side wall of one tank abut against and give support to the side wall of the adjacent tank, said vertical ribs being aligned with said transverse ribs, a reinforcing beam member disposed longitudinally between the adjacent side walls of said tanks and abutting against the top edges of the vertical side wall ribs of said tanks with thetop longitudinal edge portions of the adjacent side walls extending above each reinforcing member and being bent around the top of each said reinforcing member and secured together, and rib sections joining some of the transverse ribs of one tank to corresponding aligned vertical ribs of the same tank.

4. A multiple storage tank assembly comprising a plurality of open-top generally rectangularly shaped storage tanks, a plurality of spaced hollow reinforcing ribs extending transversely of the bottom of each tank and vertically of the head and side Walls of each tank, said tanks being assembled side by side with the transverse ribs of one tank axially aligned with the transverse ribs of the adjacent tank and the respective adjacent side walls of the tanks possessing only alternate vertical ribs so located that when said tanks are assembled the vertical ribs of one tank abut against and give support to the side wall of the adjoining tank, said vertical ribs being aligned with said transverse ribs, reinforcing members longitudinally disposed between the adjacent side Walls of the tanks and secured to the top edges of the side wall ribs of one tank with the top longitudinal edges of the side walls extending above the reinforcing member and formed around the top of said reinforcing member and secured together, a supporting beam for each top edge of the tank assembly, means for joining said supporting beam to the reinforcing member, and a plurality of connecting rib sections, one portion of said sections being welded to the transverse ribs of one tank and to the corresponding transverse rib of the adjoining tank adjacent the base of said tanks and another portion of said sections being Welded to the transverse ribs of one tank and to the vertical ribs of the last named tank References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 997,300 Kirchner July 11, 1911 1,662,280 Perritt Mar. 13, 1928 1,983,355 Escher Dec. 4, 1934 2,005,449 Arrowsmith June 18, 1935 2,503,562 Porter Aug. 11, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 108,592 Austria Jan. 10, 1928 907,747 France July 23, 1945 

